Goods train trial run on accident-hit Bhadrak-Kharagpur section a success

BHUBANESWAR: After 51 hours of logjam due to the train accident at Bahanaga Bazar a goods train was allowed to run on the accident-hit Bhadrak-Kharagpur railway section round 10.50 pm on Sunday, in the presence of Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and senior railway officials.
"This down line was made fit at 12.05 pm on Sunday. After proper examination, the goods train was run on it on a trial basis. As the train successfully passed the trial, passenger trains can be run on this line," said a railway officer.
The railway minister said track linking of up-line was carried out at 4.45 pm. "Overhead electrification work is underway. This line will also be made fit by Monday morning," railway sources said. Both down line and up line were badly damaged due to derailment of two trains at Bahanaga Bazar. Railway sources said said train movement will resume on the upline soon.
During the day, 300 personnel worked 24X7 to remove rubble from the crash site. Machines, including 11 high-power excavator and other heavy duty earthmovers were used to remove the mangled bogies that were stuck to the tracks. Four to five excavators have been used to push one coach with hydraulic pressure. "By Wednesday, the lines will be fully restored. The work is going in full swing," said railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Meanwhile, the state government on Sunday pegged the death toll at 275 thus brining it down from 288. "There were some discrepancies in counting of the bodies because of overlapping. The final count in 275," said chief secretary P K Jena.
"The death toll after verifying all the records, is 275. The Balasore collector has given us in writing. We have so far handed over 88 bodies to the family members of the deceased. For the remaining bodies, the identification process is underway. We have brought 170 bodies from Balasore to Bhubaneswar for preservation so that family members of the deceased come to the mortuaries in Bhubaneswar and claim the bodies," said Jena, earlier in the day.